Prospect thrilled to homer off Clemens

TAMPA, Fla. -- Coming into Friday's game at Legends Field, Fort Myers Miracle left fielder Erik Lis had homered three times this season for the Class A ballclub and 16 times last year for the Beloit Snappers of the low Class A Midwest League.

The University of Evansville graduate, who was a ninth-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2005, made the All-Star team and faced some good pitching.

But on Friday night against the Tampa Yankees, he knew it would be a different story.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't have some nerves," said Lis, who was batting .279 in 39 games before Friday's action. "I had a ton of friends call me when we found out who we'd be playing."

Some of those friends were guys he hadn't heard from since high school.

But considering who he would be facing, it could be understood completely.

Just imagine the calls now after the left-handed-hitting Lis went deep for a solo shot against seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who began his career with the Red Sox just two months after Lis was born in 1984.

"It's something I never expected," said Lis, whose biggest homer before Friday night was a game-winner in a conference tournament. "It felt great, unbelievable."

Clemens started Lis out with a curveball that was up for a ball.

"After the first pitch, I got the nerves out and settled down a bit," said Lis.

Clemens then tossed a curve in the dirt, which Lis swung at and missed.

Next came a fastball away, and then a splitter which Lis fouled off.

Then after fouling off two high fastballs, Lis swung quick on an inside fastball that Clemens left up in the zone, sending it deep over the fence.

Rounding the bases, Lis thought only about getting to home as quickly as possible.

Any thoughts of looking at Clemens?

"No, never," joked Lis. "That would be the worst thing ever to look at him. He's the greatest pitcher ever in the game."

As soon as he hit home plate, Lis trotted to the dugout for a celebration.

His teammates gave him the silent treatment for a few seconds before giving him hugs and high-fives.

After the game, Lis was rewarded even more so when he found out his dad, Greg, who flew in from Chicago just hours before the game, had retrieved the ball.

While Lis said he'd be reluctant to ask the Rocket to sign the ball, Clemens later met with the Illinois native.

"I remember when I was coming up and I told my mom that I wanted to hurry up and face Reggie Jackson, which I did," said Clemens. "So I know how it must have felt for him."